Editing Vladimir Putin (section)

=== Promoting conservatism ===
{{Conservatism in Russia}}
[[File:Vladimir Putin in Pokrova Church (Turginovo) 03.jpg|thumb|Putin attends the [[Christmas in Russia|Orthodox Christmas]] service in the village Turginovo in [[Kalininsky District, Tver Oblast|Kalininsky District]], Tver Oblast, 7 January 2016.]]
Putin has promoted explicitly conservative policies in social, cultural, and political matters, both at home and abroad. Putin has attacked [[globalism]] and [[neoliberalism]] and is identified by scholars with [[Russian conservatism]].<ref name="conservatism">Sergei Prozorov, "Russian conservatism in the Putin presidency: The dispersion of a hegemonic discourse." ''Journal of Political Ideologies'' 10#2 (2005): 121–143.</ref> Putin has promoted new think tanks that bring together like-minded intellectuals and writers. For example, the Izborsky Club, founded in 2012 by the conservative right-wing journalist [[Alexander Prokhanov]], stresses (i) Russian nationalism, (ii) the restoration of Russia's historical greatness, and (iii) systematic opposition to liberal ideas and policies.<ref>Marlene Laruelle, "The Izborsky Club, or the New Conservative Avant‐Garde in Russia." ''Russian Review'' 75#4 (2016): 626–644.</ref> [[Vladislav Surkov]], a senior government official, has been one of the key economics consultants during Putin's presidency.<ref>Sirke Mäkinen, "Surkovian narrative on the future of Russia: making Russia a world leader." ''Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics'' 27#2 (2011): 143–165.</ref>

In cultural and social affairs Putin has collaborated closely with the [[Russian Orthodox Church]]. [[Patriarch Kirill of Moscow]], head of the Church, endorsed his election in 2012 stating Putin's terms were like "a miracle of God".<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Gerlach |editor1-first=Julia |editor2-last=Töpfer |editor2-first=Jochen |title=The Role of Religion in Eastern Europe Today |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1F6vBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA135 |year=2014 |publisher=Springer |page=135 |isbn=978-3-658-02441-3}}</ref> Steven Myers reports, "The church, once heavily repressed, had emerged from the Soviet collapse as one of the most respected institutions... Now Kiril led the faithful directly into an alliance with the state".<ref>{{cite book |author=Myers |title=The New Tsar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1PO4DAAAQBAJ&pg=PA404 |year=2016 |page=404 |publisher=Knopf Doubleday Publishing |isbn=978-0-345-80279-8}}</ref>

Mark Woods, a [[Baptists Together|Baptist Union of Great Britain]] minister and contributing editor to ''Christian Today'', provides specific examples of how the Church has backed the expansion of Russian power into Crimea and eastern Ukraine.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|first = Mark |last = Woods |title = How the Russian Orthodox Church is backing Vladimir Putin's new world order |url = http://www.christiantoday.com/article/how.the.russian.orthodox.church.is.backing.vladimir.putins.new.world.order/81108.htm |website = Christian Today |date = 3 March 2016 }}</ref> Some Russian Orthodox believers consider Putin a corrupt and brutal strongman or even a tyrant. Others do not admire him but appreciate that he aggravates their political opponents. Still others appreciate that Putin defends some although not all Orthodox teachings, whether or not he believes in them himself.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url=https://www.getreligion.org/getreligion/2016/9/19/dear-editors-at-the-new-york-times-vladimir-putin-is-a-russian-but-putin-is-not-russia |title=Dear editors at The New York Times: Vladimir Putin is a Russian, but Putin is not Russia |last=Mattingly |first=Terry |date=19 September 2016 |website=getreligion.org |publisher=Get Religion |access-date=27 February 2022 |quote="...{{nbsp}}divide these people into at least three groups{{nbsp}}..."}}, a response to {{#invoke:cite|news|first = Andrew |last = Higgins |title = In Expanding Russian Influence, Faith Combines With Firepower |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/14/world/europe/russia-orthodox-church.html |work = The New York Times |date = 13 September 2016 }}</ref>

On abortion, Putin stated: "In the modern world, the decision is up to the woman herself".<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = https://fortune.com/2017/12/14/vladimir-putin-russia-abortion-pro-choice-press-conference/ |title = Guess What? Vladimir Putin Is a Pro-Choice Champion |date = 14 December 2017 |website = Moscow Times }}</ref> This put him at odds with the [[Russian Orthodox Church]].<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = https://www.iwmf.org/reporting/putin-the-pro-choice-champion/ |title = Putin the Pro-Choice Champion – IWMF |website = iwmf.org |date = 20 September 2018 }}</ref> In 2020, he supported efforts to reduce the number of abortions instead of prohibiting it.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/10/27/putin-orders-government-to-improve-abortion-prevention-efforts-a71865 |title = Putin Orders Government to Improve Abortion Prevention Efforts |date = 27 October 2020 |website = Moscow Times }}</ref> On 28 November 2023, during a speech to the [[World Russian People's Council]], Putin urged Russian women to have "seven, eight, or even more children" and said "large families must become the norm, a way of life for all of Russia's people".<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|author=Tom Porter |date=29 November 2023|title=Putin is urging women to have as many as 8 children after so many Russians died in his war with Ukraine|language=en-US |work=Business Insider |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-war-putin-urges-russians-8-kids-amid-demographic-crisis-2023-11 |access-date=29 November 2023}}</ref>

Putin supported the [[2020 Russian constitutional referendum]], which passed and defined marriage as a relationship between one man and one woman in the [[Constitution of Russia]].<ref name="Times-3Mar20">{{#invoke:cite|news|last1 = Kramer |first1 = Andrew E. |date = 3 March 2020 |title = Putin Proposes Constitutional Ban on Gay Marriage |work = [[The New York Times]] |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/03/world/europe/putin-proposes-constitutional-ban-on-gay-marriage.html |access-date = 8 June 2020 }}</ref><ref name="Guardian-2Mar20">{{#invoke:cite|news|last = Roth |first = Andrew |date = 2 March 2020 |title = Putin submits plans for constitutional ban on same-sex marriage |work = [[The Guardian]] |url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/02/vladimir-putin-submits-plan-enshrine-marriage-between-man-woman-russia |access-date = 8 June 2020 }}</ref><ref name="MosTimes-2Mar20">{{#invoke:cite|news|date = 2 March 2020 |title = Putin Proposes to Enshrine God, Heterosexual Marriage in Constitution |work = [[Moscow Times]] |url = https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/03/02/putin-proposes-to-enshrine-god-heterosexual-marriage-in-constitution-a69491 |access-date = 8 June 2020 }}</ref>